Friday the 13th
by Fox the Writer
Summary: He's cool as the day is long. But scaring him out of his wits? That's dead wrong.


After he finished getting dressed for the day ahead of him, he checked the calendar and he frowned at the date.

Friday the 13th? Here? _Today?_ Oh swell.

That meant either three things for Ty: good luck, bad luck, or the most unusual and common of the three, dumb luck. Which was far from Ty's favorite type of luck, but compared to bad luck, it was a breath of fresh air. Good luck would have been his preferred slice of heaven.

But regardless of what he wanted for the day, he couldn't allow luck in whatever form it took keep him from performing his job as a heroic Space Ranger. So, after a quick cup of Jo-Adian java, a handy morning stimulant, and after eating a light meal consisting of a sweet orange and crispy toast, the man left his home and set off to patrol the slick streets of Capital City.

The walk was smooth and easy. No morning crowds infested the neighborhood. Only the local birds and cats were out and about, going on with their lives. But he paid them no mind. Although his body was awake, the coffee had yet to hello to his mind and soul, leaving his normal Ranger span half-awake. He was driving on autopilot, his eyes lost in a daze as he slowly walked.

The morning itself mirrored his haziness. It was a grey and foggy morning, oddly early for a day in fine June. No wonder there was barely anyone out, save for him, the woodland critters and the occasional tourist exploring the neighborhood. The latter's appearance being completely random but unsurprising.

It was no wonder though; Capital Planet was where the Galactic Alliance's headquarters was plantedl. On top of the galaxy's government registering as a major landmark, his neighborhood was also a hot spot for tourism. Probably because many Space Rangers lived there, if they saw no need to go back home to their planets. Some of them even eligible for a certificate for stardom.

He didn't think himself to be a major celebrity, but he wouldn't turn down such a compliment if an out-of-towner hailed him as such. He'd feel like a lucky man.

He was just happy to have a home here so that he wouldn't have to zip back and forth, especially where his job was concerned. What would have been the point of staying at Star Command for the night only to have to come to Capital Planet if Ty was going to be working there the next day anyway? It worked out to stay overnight at his own place on planet grounds. Besides, the walk was doing him a favor, more than what flying could have done for him. He was shaking off the last traces of sleep. Just in time too; he reached the plaza in Capital City, Capital Planet's most populated and well-known attraction.

Now it would be time to see how today would fare out for him with luck. He hoped he'd have _good_ luck today. He was far from a superstitious man, but he was not a careless fool. He knew when to watch out for the universe's tricks up its cosmic sleeves. He'd avoid the ladders, keep all mirrors safe and away from himself knocking into them and respect the black cats that crossed his path. (Although considering he came from a spot where black cats were regular visitors it was unavoidable to avoid them.)

Which would have been perfect for a certain black cat-er, bat-to take advantage of.

A bat by the name of NOS-4-A2.

But that energy vampire was history. Long gone. Vanquished from the face of the galaxy. Thanks in part to Ty himself.

Not wanting to revisit that dark corner of his memory lane, the Ranger refocused on the task at hand.

All was quiet. And peaceful.

Peaceful. And steady.

Steady. Steady as the morning carried one with a rhythm, matching his footsteps as he wandered around the plaza through the humid mist. The mist stuck onto his face like a mask, the summer heat seeping into his skin. It wasn't the most miserable experience he ever had, though. At least it wasn't raining. Perhaps luck was good for him today...?

The early morning melted into the late morning, the sun gradually rising higher and higher as the day passed. And so far, the luck managed to stay neutral. No ladders, mirrors, or cats were out. There were no horseshoes or clovers, either.

But his neutral luck would soon run out. Which would occur in about three... two... one...

"Ranger Parsec."

Ty stiffened as he heard that slimy voice slither past his ears and neck. The hair on the back of his neck stood up. He whipped his head around in the direction of one of the many alleyways compacted in between buildings and buildings in Capital City. It was fairly well-lit, but there were some dark corners. No one would be stupid enough to want to go down a misty alleyway, him included.

"Ranger Parsec."

But that creepy voice from his past continued taunting him, tempting him, threatening him to follow it into the alley, to try and catch it.

Ty blinked. It couldn't be! That energy vampire had been impaled out of existence!

But that dark robotic voice... it was unmistakably NOS-4-A2's. Not to mention it knew his name. How else would it be him? There was no sign of the energy creep, however. He was absent, as far as Ty could see even with his enhanced sense of sight.

The voice still retained its powerful and enticing spell. It hooked Ty in, clouding over common sense, all instincts, all warnings. Ty, under some sort of spell brought on by curiosity as a mind control, was about halfway through the alley, the voice growing louder and louder. But there was only one thing that kept Ty from succumbing to his desire to find out who or what was mimicking that energy vampire's voice.

Crunch.

Ty froze and blinked again, shaking his head. He snapped out of it and realized he stepped on something. He looked down and when he saw what he stepped on, he gaped in both awe and horror.

It was an old and broken mirror lying next to a rusty horseshoe.

He carefully kneeled down to look at the mirror and horseshoe, trying not to accidentally cut himself in the process. The mirror looked as though it had been broken long ago, as shown by the cracks and dirt smeared on it. Same as the horseshoe; he guessed the horseshoe was probably as old as the mirror.

And both served as both good and bad luck. But what kind of luck did that mean for him?

Good? Bad? Dumb? Neutral again?

A minute later, he paused. It was quiet. The voice disappeared. But how? And why was that voice even there to begin with?

Did he just imagine it? Did somebody out here play a cruel joke on him? Or was it the universe deciding to have fun with him again?

He groaned. "I need more coffee."

* * *

 **A/N:** Based on another song prompt, this takes place today. Friday the 13th. I've been wanting to do a one-shot sometime focusing on a Friday the 13th, and I'm glad I managed to accomplish this mission. The song? "Friday the 13th" by the hepcats "Royal Crown Revue."  
Enjoy and may you enjoy your Fridays! Happy Friday and happy days! :)


End file.
